Talking-machine.



No. 769,696. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904. H W JOHNSON TALKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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Patented September 13, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER IV. JOHNSON, OF CHARLES CITY, IOWA.

TALKING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,696, dated September 13, 1904. Application filed May 4, 1903. Serial No. 155,559. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER W. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Charles City, in the county of Floyd and State of Iowa, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Talking-IVIachines, of which the following is a specification.

It is my object to provide a device for use in connection with any of the ordinary tall:- ing-machines which when properly arranged Will provide a muflier for the screeching and shrill sounds which ordinarily accompany any of the phonographs, gramophones, and talking-machines when in operation.

As the diaphragm of the machine vibrates some sound is reproduced on both sides of the diaphragm, and inasmuch as it is desirable to have the sound come from only the horn side of the diaphragm, for the reason that the noise on the other side of the diaphragm is unnecessary in producing good results, it is my object to provide a mufiier for the side of the diaphragm away from the horn to cut ofi the sound from that side and also eliminate to a large extent the rasping sound which is created by the needle as it passes over the record.

It is my object, further, to not only muflie this side of the diaphragm, but to also mufiie the entire mechanism of the machine, so that a mininum amount of sound will be emitted from it when the device is in operation excepting through the horn.

It is my object, further, to provide a reproducer-arm for the machine which can be easily operated on the interior of the boX and which will also swing readily, so that the needle in said arm may move freely over the surface of the record, and, further, to provide in this reproducer-arm a muffled connecting-joint to eliminate the sounds which are usually occasioned bythe ordinary machine when in operation, owing to the methods usually employed in connecting the reproducer With the horn. This is accomplished by means of a non-metallic connection in my machine between the reproducer and the horn.

It is to be understood that my muffler may be used on machines having a cylinder record or disk record, and my mufiier may be used on any type of machine now upon the market.

My invention consists in certain details in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the talking-machine and a portion of the sides of the lower portion of my machine broken away to show that the muffler extends throughout the entire case containing the ordinary mechanism of a talking-machine. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the complete case, showing the way in which the upper and lower portions are hinged together and the cover hinged to the upper portion. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the reproducerarm with a portion broken away to show the non-metallic connection in the reproducerarm. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the inner end of the reproducer-arm, showing the diaphragm and the needle in position relative to the diaphragm and the muflier-cap which I have provided for the diaphragm-casing.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference-numeral 10 to indicate the lower portion of the muffler-case, which is designed to incase the mechanism for driving my machine. This mechanism is of the ordinary construction, and a description of it is deemed unnecessary, as any suitable mechanism which will rotate the record at a uniform speed may be used. The interior of this portion of the muii'ler-case has a lining of sound-proof material 11. Hinged to the upper portion of box 10 is the upper portion 12, corresponding very nearly in size to the lower portion 10. This upper portion is held in position relative to the lower portion by means of the hinges 13, and they are so arranged that the upper and lower portions can be swung on these hinges away from each other at their forward portion. In the chamber below the part 14. of the mufliercase the usual motor is intended to be mounted for operating the turn-table which carries the record.

Attached to the upper portion 12 of the muffler-case is the cover 15, which is also hinged to the upper portion 12, so that easyaccess may be had to the upper portion 12 for the purpose of changing records and needles. Extending through the lower portion 1 1 of the upper portion 12 is the shaft 16, said shaft being rotated by the driving mechanism 7 of the machine. Mounted on this shaft 16 is the turn-table 17, which rotates as the shaft 16 is rotated. Mounted on top of this turntable 17 is the record 18, said record being detachably mounted on the shaft 16 in the ordinary way.

The entire interior of the upper portion 12 of the muffler-case, including the cover 15, is provided with a lining 19, said lining being of some sound-proof material and is designed to eliminate non-musical sounds produced by the operation of the machine. To the upper portion 12 of the muffler-case and at one side of it I have mounted a boxing 20. This boxing is hollow, and there is an opening leading from the interior of this boxing 20 to the interior of the upper portion 12 of the mufiiercase. Mounted loosely in the opening 22 is a tube 24, which is held in a vertical position in the boxing 20 by means of the set-screw 23. The upper portion of the tube is designed to allow the sound to pass through it. Firmly attached to the tube 2 1 and leading inwardly therefrom through the opening 21 is the hollow arm 25. The outer end of the arm 25 has the end piece 26 therein, designed to prevent sound from being transmitted in the direction of said end piece. The opening 27 leads from the tube 24 into the arm 25. Slidingly mounted in the arm 25 is the tube 28, which forms an extension of the arm 25, and the arm 25 and tube 28 form a reproducerarm. A packing 28 is mounted between the outer portion of the tube 28 and the inner portion of the arm 25.and is designed to make a sound-proof joint between said parts. Rotatably mounted on the inner end of the tube 28is the reproducer 29, having a head thereon containing the diaphragm 30 and the needleholder 31, which is connected to the diaphragm by wax. Mounted on the lower end of the needle-holder is the needle 32. Mounted around said head, which forms the portion of the reproducer, is a sound-box 33, having the sound-proof lining 34: on its interior. This sound-box is mounted as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. 1 have provided a thumb-screw 35 to maintain the needle 32 in position relative to the needle-holder 31 and also serve the purpose of preventing the soundbox 33 from slipping off the head of the reproducer 39. The sound-box 33 is for the purpose of muflling the sound on one side of the reproducer-diaphragm. Ihave provided a collar 37, which is designed to be mounted in the opening 22, upon which the amplifying-horn is to be mounted. Thus it will be seen that there is a hollow tube leading from the reproducer-diaphragm to the amplifying,

be used in my reproducer-mufller.

horn, and as all of the parts are mufied all sounds aside from those which come from the amplifying-horn will be eliminated to a great extent.

The reproducer-muffler here shown and described is in the form of a stamped metal casing filled with sound-proof material and attached to the body of they reproducer with machine-screws. It is distinctly understood in this connection, however, that I do not restrict myself to this particular form of reproducer-muffler. Any material or combination of materials which may be attached to the open side of a reproducer either as an attachment or in the manufacture of such reproducer for the purpose of eliminating the sounds emitted by the side of the reproducerdiaphragm opposite the horn connection may I have used felt in all my mufflers as a sound-proof agent, because it is easily obtained in any size and thickness desired, is easily manipulated, inexpensive, and very effective. Any material, as mineral wool,'asbestos, or other sound-proofing materials, may be used in my device.

My mufflers are designed to be used with all types of phonographs, graphophones, gramophones, or similar machines, commonly called talking-machines.

My device is subject to many modifications and changes in the manufacture of it, which do not affect in any way the mechanism, for it may be necessary to adapt it to difi'erent styles of machines, and for that reason a number of changes in the construction may be made without altering the main features of my construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is-

1. In a device of the class described,the combination of a two-part reproducer-arm, one of said parts being capable of sliding movement relative to the other, a sound-proof material mounted between the stationary and the sliding parts of said arm, a reproducer, a soundbox having a sound-proof material on its interior designed to be mounted on said repro" ducer, and a two-part sound-proof'box designed to be mounted outside of the reproducer, for the purposes stated.

2. In adevice of the class described, the combination of a two-part sound-proof box, the upper part of said box having an opening leading through one side of it, a boxing mounted outside of said opening and attached to the upper portion of the box, a rotatably-mounted tube in said boxing, a hollow reproducer-arm attached to said tube, having an opening leading from its interior to the interior ofsaid tube, a reproducer at the inner end of said arm and on the interior of said box, a sound-box with a sound-proof lining mounted on said reproducer, for the purposes stated.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a two-part sound-proof box, the upper part of said box having an opening leading from its interior to its exterior, a boxing attached to the upper part of said box and outside of said opening, a tube rotatably and detaehably mounted in said boxing, the upper portion of said tube leading into an opening in the upper portion of said casing, a hollow reproducer-arm firmly attached to and communicating with said tube and extending through the opening in the upper part of the box, for the purposes stated.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a two-part sound-proof box, the upper part of said box having an opening leading from its interior to its exterior, a boxing attached to the upper part of said box and outside of said opening, a tube rotatably and detachably mounted in said boxing, the upper portion of said tube leading into an opening in the upper portion of said casing, a hollow two-part reproducer-arm firmly attached to said tube and communicating therewith, a reproducer rotatably mounted at the inner end of said reproducer-arm, the inner end of said reproducer being capable of sliding movement relative to the outer part of said arm, a soundproof packing between the parts of said arm, for the purposes stated.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a two-part sound-proof box, the upper part of said box having an opening leading from its interior to its exterior, a boxing attached to the upper part of said box and outside of said opening, a tube rotatably and detachably mounted in said boxing, the upper portion of said tube leading into an opening in the'upper portion of said casing, a hollow two-part reproducer-arm firmly attached to said tube and communicating therewith, a reproducer rotatably mounted at theinner end of said reproducer-arm, the inner end of said reproducer being capable of sliding movement relative to the outer part of said arm, a soundproof packing between the parts of said arm, and a sound-proof boxing having a soundproof lining therein detachably mounted outside of said reproducer, for the purposes stated.

HOMER W. JOHNSON. l/Vitnesses:

J. A. CASE, R. V. MoOAMMoND. 

